


Betwixt the Oak and Holly (the Alban Cards remix)

by clotpolesonly



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: 2016 Camelot Remix, Druidic mythology, Epic Poetry, Holly and Oak Kings, Iambic Pentameter, M/M, Poetry, Rebirth, Summer Solstice, Temporary Character Death, Winter Solstice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-06-01 23:50:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6541825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clotpolesonly/pseuds/clotpolesonly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Upon a grassy knoll the two did stand<br/>When nigh the Summer Solstice was at hand.<br/>The reigning King stood tall before his foe<br/>While winds of Fate around them both did blow."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Betwixt the Oak and Holly (the Alban Cards remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Alban Arthan and Alban Helfin {art}](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2775992) by [altocello](https://archiveofourown.org/users/altocello/pseuds/altocello). 



> I was so amazingly lucky to be assigned AltoCello's work to remix. I was initially a bit wary of trying to remix art instead of words, but I've always been a fan so I was game to try. And then I came across the Alban Cards. I'd actually seen them before, admired them in passing, but they were the starred work so this time I stopped and looked a little more closely, read the description, did some research on the myth it's based off of. And it all fit so perfectly, so elegantly, that I was struck with an incredibly strong urge to write the sort of poetry that I haven't written in years!!
> 
> Such lovely and thoughtful art deserved the eloquence and mysticism of the romantic, Shakespearean-style Epic. I churned this out in under two weeks, that is how inspired I was, and I have been waiting on the edge of my seat to post it ever since. I tried to follow the Oak and Holly Kings legend while also tying in the main aspects of BBC Merlin's own mythology, especially the Once and Future King prophecy. Arthur's death and rebirth, Merlin's immortality and role as guardian. I also, of course, played with the dynamic. It was such a common thing in Shakespeare's works, and others' of the time, to rework old relationships to fit new patterns, to make enemies into lovers and such, so I felt it only fitting.
> 
> AltoCello, thank you for providing such a gorgeous work for me to draw from, and I hope you enjoy reading this half as much as I enoyed writing it.
> 
> Also, thanks to my wonderful beta/cheerleader, Sarah (sirgvvaine on tumblr and onceandfutureking here on AO3)!!

From beams of golden sunshine came a King

                Whose noble voice did through the forest ring

                And those upon whose ears his words did fall

                Would bend their knees and offer him their all,

                For with him came the light of longer days,

                The woodland’s children basking in their rays

                As by their King in grassy cloak did sweep,

                And in the Otherworld the Night did sleep.

And yet when blessèd Summer reached its height

                Did Winter’s chill come creeping through the night.

                From whence the cold wind shook the branches down

                Another rose to claim the leafy crown:

His lips of berry-red and skin moon-white

                Did serve him well to dim the Oak King’s light.

                With hair as glossy-black as raven’s wings

                Came Emrys, King of all the darkest things.

                The velvet night hung heavy ‘round his throat

                And leaves of thorny green comprised his coat,

                But not a single prick did pierce his hide

                For all this soon would by his rule abide.

Upon a grassy knoll the two did stand

                When nigh the Summer Solstice was at hand.

                The reigning King stood tall before his foe

                While winds of Fate around them both did blow.

                Though grimly he unsheathed his deadly blade,

                His enemy no move toward him made.

                Instead he lay his staff upon the ground

                And laughter sweet did through the wood resound.

When first their lips in place of steel did meet,

                Unto his foe did each admit defeat.

                As Holly King tossed off his nightly shroud,

                So too by Oak was conflict disavowed

                And soon he had beneath the dark’ning skies

                His golden King laid bare before his eyes.

Across the softest skin of tawny hue

                His gentle hands did quest for pleasure true

                And desp’rate cries poured forth from bitten lips

                As lightning danced upon his fingertips.

                With ev’ry tender touch and murmur low

                The golden glow upon his skin did grow,

                Til lastly did his lover come undone

                And Emrys knew his battle had been won.

The Oak King trembled through his little death

                And looked to Emrys on his final breath.

                Said he, “I feel I’ve seen thy face before.”

                Sighed Emrys, “No, nor will you evermore,

                For only now upon this solemn eve

                Will you and I be granted this reprieve;

                Not even my great power can abate

                The never-ending spiral of your Fate.

                So rest, my love, and know the time will come

                When you will rise and I to you succumb.”

The Holly King, he knelt upon that hill

                Until his love did in his arms grow still

                And then he bowed his tired head to weep

                As Fate’s chill wind around them both did sweep.

                The Oak King’s flesh, once firm and warmly gold,

                Beneath the new night sky did soon grow cold

                And sooner yet dissolvèd into dust

                To soar and dance as still the wind did gust.

When time did come that Emrys glimpsed the dawn,

                Each noble swirling mote at last had gone

                And fin’lly did he boldly stand alone

                To take the crown and mount the lonely throne.

                From round his neck the cloak of night unfurled

                To softly blanket all the weary world

                And draw it close to hold against his breast

                That all his subjects might be laid to rest.

Thus so the Holly King did hold his court:

                The Summer waned and all the days grew short.

                As Autumn came, so too did Summer’s fruit

                And harvest saw from flow’r to leaf to root.

                Throughout the land the trees, which once had worn

                Such verdant coats, by cold were slowly shorn

                And creeping frost the sun’s sweet warmth did take

                As all the earth the Oak King did forsake.

The bite of Winter through the land did fly

                As Emrys kept a close and watchful eye

                On ev’ry beast and creature slumb’ring on

                Til Holly King did see the Solstice dawn.

When they by Spring’s first glowing morn were blest,

                The brightest rays of sunlight coalesced

                Into a form as true and strong and proud

                As all the mountains stood fore’er unbowed

                And to the sky he turned his beauteous face

                As Nature did its truest King embrace.

                The flow’rs did spread their petals and rejoice

                To hear once more the Oak King’s noble voice;

                His glory forced the Winter snow to flee

                As all his subjects took to bended knee.               

This Emrys saw and knew his wait was o’er

                For soon his humble reign would be no more.

                Again they met each other face to face

                Yet of their previous ardor was no trace

                For this Oak King was freshly born anew;

                No mem’ry held of trials they had been through.

But Emrys! O, poor Emrys did recall

                Each second, ev’ry touch, both big and small,

                Each lustful moan and ev’ry trembling breath,

                Each splendid birth and each accursed death,

                For Fate it had decreed when Time began

                That always would he live to serve this man,

                This wondrous King whose name would e’er be spoke

                As long as Fate did hold them in its yoke.

The Oak King from its sheath did draw his blade,

                Which glittered with the finest stones inlaid,

                Then raised it up to hold in ready stance

                And waited for occasion to advance.

                So too the Holly King his staff did raise

                And set the azure gem atop ablaze

                With pow’r enough to easily dispatch

                A hundred men, yet here he was no match.

                A single heavy blow did meet its mark

                And thus saw Emrys flung into the dark.

By Oak was Holly banished unto sleep

                But Emrys through the Veil his watch did keep

                For though his love condemned to yearly fight,

                He could not bear to let him from his sight.

                And so he kept his vigil from afar

                As constant as the lonely northern star

                That still he might protect his Fated ward

                From any threat not felled beneath his sword.

As Spring did grow with warmth and light sublime

                The Holly King did sit and bide his time

                Through Summer til that too began to wane

                And time had come for him to rise again.

Once more upon that knoll the two did stand

                When nigh the Summer Solstice was at hand

                And though they raised their weapons as they’d done

                At Winter’s death when last the Spring had won,

                The Oak King threw his head back with a laugh

                As did they set aside both sword and staff

                For now he knew his foe to be his friend,

                A watchful gaze meant only to defend.

Beneath each other’s hands they both did writhe,

                One broad and strong, the other tall and lithe,

                And lips did wander ‘cross their tender skin

                As lightning built, as always, from within.

                Its chill was hardly felt beneath the heat

                Of pleasure creeping o’er them, ever sweet,

                Until its glow was brighter than the sun

                And Emrys knew his battle had been won.

Again he knelt and held his lover tight

                As thus the setting sun turned day to night.

                He brushed his lips across his love’s pale face

                As though his care could Fate’s decree outpace,

                But still he felt cruel Death’s relentless tide

                And knew another year he would abide

                To rule in place of Albion’s true lord

                Until unto them all he was restored.

As Emrys tightly held his trembling hand,

                The frigid winds of Fate swept o’er the land.

                The Oak King spoke as still his heart did slow.

                “I ask thee, villain: why dost thou hate me so?”

                A slow, sad smile on Emrys’ face did spread

                And to his love—to _Arthur_ —so he said:

                “A heart as true as yours must know the soul

                Holds naught but love for that which makes it whole.”

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't help but slip in a few quotes, paraphrased though they may be. ;) Thank you so much for reading!!


End file.
